Introduction

Possibly one of the most underrated holiday destinations in Europe, Poland is a great place to visit for its fantastic historical sights and culture. The country’s capital, Warsaw is one of many beautiful medieval cities and is considered the cultural capital, due to the thriving music scene and the variety of art and film houses, museums and opera houses. The city of Krakow is a must-visit place for those with an interest in history and architecture, as the city is home to a multitude of historical buildings and of Gothic and Renaissance architecture.
The rural areas of Poland boast some truly stunning landscapes, particularly out on the Baltic coast - which are home to some beautiful sandy beaches. Other natural beauties that see many visitors are the Great Malsurian Lakes up in the northeast of the country and the Carpathian Mountains located in the south.

Driving in Poland

R

Road Driving Side

31mph

Urban Speed Limit

49mph

Rural Speed Limit

86mph

Motorway Speed Limit

Important things to note

It’s recommended to travel with a First-Aid kit, a fire extinguisher and spare bulbs for headlamps in the vehicle.
Drivers caught committing any type of motoring offence are likely to incur an on-the-spot fine.

Driving culture in Poland

What are the roads like Poland?
The quality of the roads in Poland is generally poor and the road infrastructure isn’t great either. There’s a noticeable lack of motorways and instead have ordinary two-lane roads that cannot cope with the volume of traffic using them. While the quality of Polish roads has slowly seen improvements over the last year or so, the road surfaces are largely in poor condition.
How will I find the drivers in Poland?
Polish drivers tend to be rather impatient, and the vast majority drive aggressively. On average, speed limits are ignored and dangerous over-taking manoeuvres are routine. Tailgating is also to be expected and inpatient drivers are also known to flash their headlights while tailgating to encourage drivers to let them pass. It is recommended to “drive defensively” and use caution at all times.
What are the best times to drive?
Avoid driving in and around major cities at rush-hour, which starts in the morning around 7am and lasts until 9am; and in the afternoon rush hour is typically 3.30pm until 6.30pm. However, it is known in some major cities for increased traffic volumes to continue until 8pm.
What are the driving laws?
It is compulsory to wear seatbelts in both front and rear seats of the vehicle.
Children aged 12 and under must wear an appropriate child restraint for their age in order to travel in the front or rear seats of the vehicle.
It is illegal to face a child in a rear facing seat if the car is equipped with front seat airbags.
It is compulsory to drive with dipped headlights at all times – even during sunny weather.
It is compulsory to travel with a warning triangle in the vehicle.